PHOENIX - MARCH 17: Infiedler Aubrey Huff #17 of the San Francisco Giants in action during the MLB spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on March 17, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Giants defeated the A's 6-1. less

PHOENIX - MARCH 17: Infiedler Aubrey Huff #17 of the San Francisco Giants in action during the MLB spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on March 17, 2010 in Phoenix, ... more

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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San Francisco Giants' Aubrey Huff hits a two-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Saturday, March 20, 2010.

San Francisco Giants' Aubrey Huff hits a two-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

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Aubrey Huff bristles at bad-glove rep

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Aubrey Huff has not inspired much confidence at first base this spring.

He has made a wild throw home, dropped a difficult but catchable throw from third, fallen on the grass trying to field a bunt and stopped two feet short of the dugout fence chasing a catchable foul ball.

Huff's first response: Chill, people. It's spring training.

"I'm working on things, too," he said. "Not everything is going to go smoothly in spring training. You're working for the season. I think everybody puts too much focus on spring training. You get your feet back under you and get your timing down at the plate and on the field.

Huff's second response came in Saturday's 6-0 victory against the Reds. With one out in the fourth inning and runners on the corners, Huff dived to stop Juan Francisco's shot up the line and tagged the base with his glove. He then stood and threw to second to double up Joey Votto.

"I get all these questions from you guys about playing first," Huff said. "I mean, I've played the position a lot in my big-league career. It's not strange to me."

Last year in Baltimore, Huff played 93 games at first base and made four errors in 885 chances. Even the Ultimate Zone Rating, a defensive metric in vogue among folks whom manager Bruce Bochy calls "the propeller-heads," suggests Huff's defense cost the Orioles only 2.3 runs over those 93 games compared with the average big-league first baseman.

The 33-year-old believes his sorry defensive reputation was exaggerated when he came up with Tampa Bay and was thrown into third base without any experience there. As Huff views it, people assumed if he was awful at third base, he was no better at first.

Huff's hitting never has been a question, he said, but "everybody always questions the fielding. That's the story of my life. It gets annoying. When you're looking at the numbers, fielding-wise at first base, I've always been pretty good."

Nevertheless, the reputation is hard to shake. A graybeard scout who was asked Friday if he saw Huff play first base at Baltimore last season said, "No, thank God."

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail saw Huff play first base a lot in 2009 and said Giants fans should not sweat it.

"His defense is going to be adequate," MacPhail said. "It's hard to measure in Arizona. Popups are a little difficult. It does take an adjustment.

"In fairness, nobody is going to compare him to (Dodgers defensive great) Wes Parker, but he's not going to be terrible. The Giants got him for his bat, and he gave us a great season there in 2008."

Indeed, the Giants understood what they were buying when they signed Huff to a one-year, $3 million contract. They needed more pop in a lineup whose .389 slugging percentage in 2009 ranked 14th in the National League.

Huff has a career slugging average of .472, although his .384 last year was the second-lowest of his career.

He is smoking the ball this spring, batting .400 in 30 at-bats with three doubles and three homers, including two in the last two games.

Huff takes his normal share of batting practice each day. He also does extra work with bench coach Ron Wotus on first-base technique.

"He's confident, and I like that," Wotus said. "He feels he's going to be just fine. He's putting the work in that makes him confident. A lot of guys don't want to put the work in, and he's a 10-year veteran and we're out in the back field every day. That's nice to see."